Eurorail Pass
Travel Europe By Train
By D.W.

Anyone infected with wanderlust or pining to explore Europe will enjoy their experience more when traveling by rail. I have lived in Europe for more than three years and I have traveled to every Western European country and as well as to many Eastern ones. My favorite mode of transportation was by rail, which was fairly efficient and affordable; but not cheap by any means. For those times you who absolutely have to see a lot of places on a schedule, buying a Eurorail pass is definitely the way to go. I have used the pass four times in three years and I can vouch for its effectiveness.

The Eurorail pass allows you to hop on and off any train within a participating country at any time and travel within that country or go to another participating country. If you manage your pass effectively, you can save a substantial amount of money as opposed to buying point to point rail and flight tickets. Driving is also exorbitantly expensive with gas around $5 a gallon along with crazy French and Italian motorists. The pass can allow you to be spontaneous and hop on a train on a whim or travel on an agenda planned well in advance.

You can buy the pass online at Rail Europe, which is where I always purchased mine although there are other ways to get them. The pass prices can range anywhere from $400 to $2,000 depending on what you want. And they can be tailored to almost any European vacation plan. Seniors, children, and young adults under the age of 26 do get a discounted price.

When you buy a pass, you get a certain number of days of rail travel marked day one through whatever you bought. Once you board a train for the first time during a day, you show the conductor your pass and he signs or stamps the date and initials it on the first available open day.

For instance, suppose you are in Rome and you want to board a train for Venice and you have used five of your 15 days of purchased rail travel. You hand your pass to the conductor and since it is the 21 of August, he will mark this date in box six and initial it. This means that you have used six days so far and that the 21st is one of those days. You have unlimited rail travel for the rest of the day so you can leave Venice early that day and go somewhere else.

But be careful to use your pass for trips that make economic sense. For example, if you use your pass for a 10 minute train ride from one part of a city to another you are wasting a day of travel. If you start an overnight trip during a day you will also be charged for the next day. However, the good thing about this is that if you board a train at 10 or 11 pm they will only charge you for the following day and not the remaining two hours of the current day.

Thus, overnight trips can be the best option for long trips because they save you a night in the hotel. Furthermore, you arrive at your destination very early in the morning ready for a day of sightseeing. When you have a lot of places to see on a tight schedule you want to maximize your time the best way you can and transportation consumes valuable time.

Accommodations aboard the trains vary and you must consider what your required comfort level is beforehand. Young people getting the youth discount ride second class can usually tolerate sleeping in uncomfortable situations. Adults must purchase the first class travel package with their pass, so a more comfortable situation is provided. If you need a cabin with a bed that is either shared or private, you must reserve it, usually well beforehand. However, if space is available you can reserve it that day. There will be an additional charge for a bunk but it is cheaper than a hotel room.

In some countries like Spain you may have to pay a small supplemental reservation fee for a first class seat but these rates change frequently and they are a nominal amount. Check beforehand on the websites for information about these fees and required reservations.

Another important factor to consider when you purchase a Eurorail pass is the time constraints. Some passes are for consecutive days of travel that require you to travel day after day in order to make full use of your pass. If you buy a five day consecutive pass and start traveling on July 1st, your pass will expire on 6 July regardless of how much you actually traveled. These passes are cheaper and if you only have 10 days to travel, a ten day consecutive pass may be the best option.

If you want flexibility in your travel schedule, you need to get a flexi pass. This pass will allow you to travel the number of days you purchased within a certain time frame, usually 60 to 90 days. I always purchased flexi passes and they accommodated my schedule very well and I was able to get the most bang for my travel buck. The flexi pass is more expensive but it is worth the cost if you plan out your trip effectively.

The countries participating in the Eurorail pass are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. You can get a separate pass to travel in Great Britain or the Balkans if you wish. Only your passport is required for travel in any of these countries but guard it carefully as it is a valuable item on the black market.

If you are only going to travel within one country, it will probably be prudent to buy a single country pass, which will be cheaper than a general pass. However, Europe is a small continent and countries are closer to each other than one might think. Consequently, you may find plenty of opportunities to see another country without derailing your travel plans. The key is to be flexible and leave room for surprises and good opportunities.

One last note; buy a travel protection plan to cover you if your pass gets lost or stolen. These things do happen and you should be prepared for such contingencies. Carry your pass on your person and not in your back pocket as you would with your passport. When you are in the hotel, put these items in the safe. Thieves in Europe as in America know a confused tourist when they see one, so keep your guard up and protect your valuables.

Any opinions or views expressed herein belong solely to the author and does not represent any employer, organization, political party, governmental agency, or any other entity and do not necessarily reflect the views of the site owner or its participants.